Soldiers secured crash site, got drivers to safety

MOON TWP. — Two local soldiers were instrumental in getting motorists to safety before two vehicles went up in flames after an accident Wednesday in Moon Township, police said.

Sgt. Justin Ayersman and Staff Sgt. Joseph Cappitte were leaving the 316th Expeditionary Sustainment Command Army Reserve Unit in Moon about 5:20 p.m. when they came upon the three-vehicle crash on eastbound Business 376 between the airport and Montour Run Road exits.

Moon patrolman Shener Ulke said Ayersman and Cappitte, who were still in uniform, were a good presence to have at the scene before police and fire crews arrived.

“They were crucial in keeping everybody safe,” Ulke said.

Ayersman and Cappitte pulled up to the scene just seconds after a car driven by Joshua Fryberger, 23, of West Decatur, Pa., struck the back of another vehicle, causing the gas tank to burst.

Ulke said Fryberger told police he was looking at the road signs and did not notice traffic backing up on the Interstate 376 overpass in front of him.

The impact pushed the second vehicle, which was driven by Stephen Kovalchick, 32, of Bridgeville, into the back of a car driven by Kenneth Trudgen, 44, of Kittanning, Ulke said.

Ayersman said he and Cappitte stopped traffic, which was still going around the accident, and attempted to get the drivers involved away from the crash site.

“When we pulled up on scene, the cars were not on fire yet,” Ayersman said. “(The motorists) were kind of hanging around the cars ... I just knew with my previous military police experience that I wanted everybody to get away from there in case there was a spark.”

Before Cappitte could retrieve a fire extinguisher from his truck, the first two vehicles were engulfed in flames, he said.

Ulke said none of the drivers was seriously injured in the accident.

Traffic on Business 376 was backed up after the crash while firefighters from Moon and the Allegheny County Airport Authority extinguished the blaze, and debris was cleared from the scene.

Ulke said PennDOT crews on Thursday inspected the road, which was damaged by the heat of the fire.